Tommy Murray died suddenly last week in a Naenae gym.
He was 54, a father and grandfather who wore a mataora - a full facial moko.
His Northland whanau forcibly took his body for burial at his marae.
His widow Sara says he was estranged from his family and he wanted to be cremated to be with her.
She says her daughters were beaten as they tried to stop his coffin being taken from their home.
Hilda Halkyard-Harawira is Tommy Murray's cousin and says the needs of tikanga meant the whānau could not allow him to be cremated.
She spoke to RNZ Maori news director Māni Dunlop.
